Spring shoe



June 1o, 195s J, A, ERPEL 2,837,840 SPRING sHoE A FiledAug, 1o,Y 1956 VII VIII

III/A SPRING sHoE Y Julius A. Kerpel, New York, N. Y. Application August 1o, 1956, serial No, 603,348

z claims. (ci. stt- 7.8)

This invention relates generally to the art of spring shoes, and more particularly to an improved construction particularly adapted for performing stunts and the like.

Spring shoes, generally, are generally well known in the art, and whileuseful, the utility of the same has been severely restricted by the lack of flexibility and adjustment in the resilient components. With particular stunts or acrobaties, it is often desirable to vary the individual tension of the resilient components with respect to each other, thereby making it possible to resiliently bias the "u position of the user' to facilitate execution of various maneuvers.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved spring show construction having a plurality of individually adjusti able resilient elements permitting the shoe to have a resilient bias in a given direction with respect to its own lateral axis. v

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of improved spring shoe construction in which the various resilient components are adjustable axially with respect to the principal axis thereof, thereby permitting a resilient axial bias as well as a resilient bias in a lateral direction with respect to said principal axis.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of improved springshoe construction of the class described and possessed of the above enumerated advantages, in which the cost of fabrication may be of a reasonably low order, with consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the device may be employed in conjunction with conventional leather shoes, thereby eliminating the necessity of separate foot-enclosing structure.

Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that the device may be formed from a combination of standardized parts and stampings, thereby eliminating the necessity of forming expensive castings and moldings.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will become more clearly apparent during the course of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

On the drawing, to which reference will be made in the speciiication, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective showing the resilient element in detached condition.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing one of the resilient units, as seen from the plane 3-3 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional View as seen from the plane 4--4 on Figure l.

United States Patent Figure 5 is an end view in elevation as seen from the lefthand portion of Figure 2. p

Figure 6 s a fragmentary view in perspective showing a second embodiment of the invention.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10 comprises broadly a sole plate element 11 and a resilient element 12.

The sole plate element 11 includes a sole plate 13 preferably in the form of a metallic stamping, having an upper surface 14, a lower surface 15 and a peripheral edge 16. Disposed axially along the length ofthe sole plate member 13 is an elongated recess 17, the oor 18 of which is provided with an elongated slot 19. A heel support member is preferably formed of heavy gfage leather, and is provided with an ankle engaging strap 21. Connected directly with the sole plate member are an instep engaging strap 22 and a toe engaging strap 23. As indicated on Figure 1, the conguration of the individual spring shoe 10 may be such that the same shoe may be used with either the right or left foot of the lwearer.

The resilient element 12 is adjustably positioned upon the lower surface 15 of the sole plate member 13 and includes a sole plate engaging member 26 from which depend a plurality of vertically disposed resilient units 27, 28, 29 and 30.

The units 27-30 are substantially similar, and accordingly,` a detailed description of one of said units will serve to describe all. Each includes an outer tubular member 3i having an upper flange portion 32 which is secured by welding or otherwise to the sole plate engaging member 26. The upper portion of the tubular member 31 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed adjustment slots 33 and 34, the axis of which is parallel to the axis of the tubular member itself. At the lower terminus of the tubular member 31 is an end wall member 37 having a centrally disposed orice 38 therein.

Disposed for axial reciprooation with respect to the tubular member 31 is a reciprocating piston 46, the upper portion 41 of which forms a sliding t with respect to the inner surface of the tubular member 31. The strut portion 42 extends through the -oriice 3S and is provided with a bumper 43 of molded rubber or similar material. Disposed Within the tubular member 31 is a compression spring 46, the lower end 47 of which is adapted to bear upon the upper surface of the portion 41. The upper end 49 of the spring 46 is contacted by an adjustable compression member 50 which rides in the slots 33 and 34. Wing nut tightening means 51 allows for the initial tensioning of the spring when the portion 41 is at the lowermost position of a path of travel. By relocating the member 50, tension upon the spring may be increased or lessened accordingly, as required by the user.

Referring to Figure 4 of the drawing, it will be observed that the adjusting screws 53 are provided with corresponding wing nuts 52 which permit the resilient element 12 to be slideably engagea'ble with the sole plate member 13, by loosening the wing nuts and positioning the resilient element with respect to the sole plate element, it is possible to place the resilient effect of the device toward the ball of the foot -or heel of the foot of the user, depending upon the requirements of a specic maneuver. As may be seen on Figures 4 and 5, the heads of the screws 53 are disposed below the upper surface 14 of the sole plate 13, thereby being free of contact with the sole of the wearers shoe (not shown).

Turning now to the second embodiment of the invention as illustrated onFigure 6 of the drawing, parts corresponding to those of the principal embodiment have been Patented June 1.0, 1958l and the spring modulus of thelsingle resilientiunit l27is.

substantially four times thatgofy the-individual vunits 27j-3 0 in the principal embodiment.

lt--may thus beseen thatlfhave invented noi'ebandhighly usefulvimprovements in springshoeconstruction,andfili which there has been providedmeansfor adjusting and respositioningthe resilient 'bias of the resilient components to those portions of the.. foot of thegwearer which require, increased resilient support. The resilient components are adjustable not only axially with respect to the: principal axis of the spring shoe, but may be individually varied with regard to initial tension, thereby permitting a lateral resilient bias as Well as an axialL one. The device is essentially simple inconstruction, and may be produced at cost comparable with prior art devices. By resort to simple adjustment means, no special tools or skills are required to use the-device.

I wish it to be understood that l do not consider the invention limited `to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

l. A spring shoe. fory use by. a wearer comprising: a

2,837,840 I -V 'r i f sole plate element and a resilient element; said sole plate element having meansffor securing the same to a foot of said wearer, and being of generally elongated planar coniiguration having a principal; axis and upper and lower surfaces; said resilient element including a plurality of resilient components, each having a line of action substantially perpendicular to said axis; at least one of said resilient components being individuallyfadjustable with respect to resilient force exerted along its line of action.

2. A springT shoe for@ use by a-wvearer comprising: a sole plate element and a resilient element; said sole plate element having means for securing the same to a foot of saidrwearer,l and; being of generally elongated. planar configuration having a principal axis and upper and lower surfaces; said' resilient' elementv including a plurality of resilient components, each having a line of action substantially perpendicular to said axis; each of said resilient components being individually adjustable with respect tofrejsilient force exerted alongits line of: action.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,513,338 Menefee; Oct. 28, 1924 VFORETGN PATENTS 432,639 Germany Aug. 7, 1926 541,451 France July 28, 1922 

